Geralt Actor Dismisses 'Woke' Claims About Ciri in The Witcher 4

Doug Cockle, the iconic voice behind Geralt in The Witcher series, has robustly defended the decision to center The Witcher 4 around Ciri, urging critics to delve into the source material before dismissing the change as "woke."

"That's just stupid," Cockle remarked about the backlash against CD Projekt's next venture in the beloved RPG franchise, which will feature Ciri as the protagonist for the first time. Addressing the criticism head-on during a video with Fall Damage, he emphasized, "It's not woke. There's nothing woke about it. [Ciri]'s a cool character from The Witcher, and they're gonna focus on that character, and that's awesome."

Despite reprising his role as Geralt in The Witcher 4, Cockle understands the necessity of evolving the narrative beyond his character. "We can't just have Geralt for every single game for The Witcher ad nauseam, out through eternity," he explained, highlighting the conclusion of Geralt's journey in Blood and Wine. "We've seen the end of Geralt's journey."

Cockle expressed his support for Ciri's new role, saying, "I celebrate Ciri. I celebrate her being the protagonist. So all you people who think it's woke... [blows raspberry]."

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View 51 ImagesHe further elucidated the rationale behind CD Projekt's focus on Ciri, linking it directly to the rich narrative tapestry woven by Andrzej Sapkowski in the original Witcher novels. "If you read the books, then you understand why CD Projekt went down this avenue," Cockle stated. "There's a whole rich world of stuff to explore with Ciri, that they didn't do when they put her into Witcher 3, because the story was about Geralt. But she hints at it."

Encouraging fans to revisit the books, he added, "If you think it's woke, read the damn books — they're good, first of all. And secondly, you won't think it's so woke anymore."

The Witcher games by CD Projekt are set in a timeline that follows the conclusion of Sapkowski's novels, though the author has maintained a clear distinction between his work and the games. Sapkowski, much like CD Projekt, views Ciri as a crucial character ready to take the lead when Geralt steps back.

IGN has previously explored the continuity of Geralt's role in The Witcher 4 with franchise and lore designers Cian Maher and Marcin Batylda, who confirmed that the narrative progression aligns seamlessly with the established timeline.